The Cortland City Common Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2013 city budget tonight at 6:30.

The revised budget calls for $18.4 million in spending next year which is $212 thousand less than the current budget, or a 1% cut in spending over the current year.

If the budget is approved, property taxes will go up just over 1% next year, that equates to $36.41 per $100,000 in taxable assessed value.

The 2013 spending plan relies less on fund balance and reserves than the current year.

The biggest savings in the budget is coming from the city move to join the Tompkins County Health Care Consortium. The municipal partnership is expected to save Cortland taxpayers nearly a million dollars in health care costs next year.

City water and sewer users will see their bills go up next year, waste water charges are slated to increase over 3%, and water bills will go up 83 cents to a minimum charge of $28.62. The City of Cortland has some of the lowest water and sewer rates in the region.